A big test is coming up in the Lone Star State.
Los Angeles is back on the road for a three-game road trip this week, kicking off tonight in Dallas to take on the Stars. Luckily for Jim Hiller and the Kings, they have been road warriors this season. For whatever reason — and nobody has a clear explanation — they have simply looked like a completely different team away SoCal.
Even though we’re nearing the midpoint of the 2025-26 campaign, things continue to very much be a work in progress for this group and tonight will bring a fresh pair of challenges. Centers Quinton Byfield and Phil Danault were declared ineligible by coach Jim Hiller earlier today, due to illness. With their absence, a series of changes are expected to take place on all three of LA’s top lines.
If the team was on a winning streak or playing with any sustained offensive momentum, perhaps this would be a bigger concern. At this point, just about any change looks good, or at least generates a shrug of the shoulders, followed by, ‘Sure, why not?’
The Kings are coming off back-to-back overtime losses, a theme already too familiar through 31 games played. Despite their lack of offensive production, the Kings have been able to push a lot of games to overtime and beyond — mainly due to the fact that Darcy Kuemper has been incredible. The Canadian netminder has the Olympic team on his mind, as he continues to make his case on why he should be wearing the red and black come February in Italy.
The group has spoken on needing to get some offense going. Chances are, you have to score more than two goals to beat this dangerous Stars team, especially on the road. Andrei Kuzmenko drawing back in could be just the spark to help get things going. The Russian forward has found himself on Hiller’s naughty list the last few weeks due to his lack of production.
While Byfield and Danault have struggled mightily to put up goals this season, there’s no doubt that the Kings are better at the faceoff dot with the latter in the lineup. So that could hurt.
Statistically Speaking
— Although Dallas has been a house of horrors for the Kings in recent years, they picked up a 3-2 win there in October. They’re also 3-1-0 overall in their last four contests vs. the Stars, one of the Western Conference’s elite teams.
— Anze Kopitar is set to skate in his 37th, and final, regular-season contest at American Airlines Center. His 36 games played as a visitor to the Lone Star State are tied for the most among active skaters with teammate Corey Perry (36 GP) and Patrick Kane (36 GP).
— More Kopitar: He has totaled 199 points throughout his career in the month of December. The captain has recorded 200 points in two calendar months (235 in March & 200 in February) and is one of two players in Kings history with multiple months with 200+ career points (also Marcel Dionne: 4x). Of note, Kopitar is also nearing the 200-point mark in the month of January (195).
— Over the last five seasons, dating back to 2021-22, 10 players across the NHL have scored 10 or more shorthanded goals (SHG). The Kings are the only team to have more than one of those players: Joel Armia (10 SHG), Trevor Moore (10 SHG) and Adrian Kempe (10 SHG).
What You May Have Missed
It was a big week for several Kings prospects. Read all about it in our weekly report:
Kings Projected Lineup vs. Stars
If there are any key changes during pregame warmups, this article will be updated.
Kuzmenko – Kopitar – Kempe
Fiala – Turcotte – Armia
Moore – Laferriere – Foegele
Malott – Helenius – Perry
Anderson – Doughty
Edmundson – Clarke
Dumoulin – Ceci
Kuemper
Forsberg
Likely scratches: (F) Byfield, Danault and (D) Moverare
How to Watch the Game
Puck drop is set for 5:00 pm Pacific Time and will be televised by FanDuel Sports. Additionally, a Kings radio feed is available on the ESPN LA app.
Tony Granato will slide in as color analyst on the TV side for this week’s slate of three games. Jim Fox is on holiday.
Get to know new Kings play-by-play voice John Kelly by checking out his interview here. He tells some interesting stories about joining the Kings broadcasts and what it was like calling games against them for most of his career.
Across the Ice
Dallas is coming off a 4-0 loss to Florida on Saturday. Here’s how they lined up in that matchup:
Steel – Johnston – Rantanen
Robertson – Hintz – Benn
Hryckowian – Duchene – Bourque
Bäck – Faksa – Blackwell
Lindell – Heiskanen
Capobianco – Lyubushkin
Harley – Petrovic
Oettinger
On This Day in Kings History
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